Experts discuss challenges facing democratic processes in India and U.S.

Surana & Surana International Attorneys host 'Democracy in the Balance' event discussing challenges and opportunities in democratic processes.

‘Democracy in the Balance’, a knowledge series event, was hosted by Surana & Surana International Attorneys on Saturday.

The discussion focused primarily on the challenges and opportunities facing democratic processes, particularly in India and the United States (U.S.), with the context of the 2024 elections, and also touched on electoral integrity and data privacy.

N. Gopalaswami, former Chief Election Commissioner of India, reflected on the relative stability of the U.S. election system compared to India’s multipoint electoral structure. The session also covered the impact of artificial intelligence on governance, the need to safeguard data privacy, and the measures to prevent the misuse of voter information.

Narayan Lakshman, Senior Associate Editor, The Hindu, said how social media played a role in amplifying false narratives that eroded democratic trust. Alok Prasanna, co-founder and head of Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, spoke on the need to tighten safeguards and prevent data misuse during elections. The panel discussion was moderated by Sneha Mula, head of department, Chettinad School of Law.